Pat Kelsey gives encouraging update on Khani Rooths for Louisville basketball fans

Louisville basketball is set to take on the Virginia Tech Hokies tomorrow afternoon inside the KFC Yum! Center. The Cardinals and Hokies' matchup was recently moved from 3:45 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. local time due to inclement weather, as the city of Louisville is expected to receive between 8 and 12 inches of snow.

Louisville fans are hoping to see a similar result as the Cardinals' last game, where they watched Pat Kelsey secure a 100-59 win over the Pitt Panthers. However, this Hokies team is much better than that Panthers squad, and Louisville might be undermanned again. The Cardinals are, of course, keeping an eye on Mikel Brown Jr. as Kelsey announced he practiced Monday and Tuesday and is expected to “ramp" him up more and more to try and get him back on the court.

But another Cardinal Louisville fans are hoping to see back on the court sooner rather than later is Khani Rooths. While it doesn’t sound likely he will return this weekend, Kelsey did provide an update on Rooths that was good to hear.

Khani Rooths’ update gives Louisville fans reason for optimism

The Cardinals have been without Rooths for two straight games now, as he has been battling a chilling illness for over 10 days. Kelsey gave an update on Rooths that he is back in the building and it's good to see him, but he has yet to be cleared for “basketball activity.”

“We have him back in the building, which is great,” Kelsey stated on Rooths. “He needs to eat a hamburger or two. Eli is working with him right now. He hasn’t been cleared for basketball activity yet. So, I don’t have an update further than that. But it’s great to see that big ole smile and that energy he brings to every room he walks into.”

It is unknown what Rooths had, but the 6-foot-10, 215-pound forward sounds like he is trending in the right direction. That said, it is hard to imagine Rooths plays tomorrow afternoon if he hasn’t been with the team and just returned to the gym this week after battling this serious illness.

And on top of that, Kelsey stated he hasn’t been cleared for “basketball activity” yet as of Thursday morning, and after missing over 10 days, Louisville would want him practicing and making sure he is healthy and 100 percent before he gets back on the court for a game. So, his timeline is unknown, but Kelsey's announcement that he is back in the building is a positive step toward a possible return for Louisville's showdown with Duke on Jan. 26.

Rooths is a key piece of this team, bringing tons of energy off the bench and serving as a spark on both ends of the floor. The sophomore forward is averaging 6.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while shooting 43.4 percent from the floor per game.

For all the latest on Louisville basketball's 2025-26 season and recruiting, stay tuned.